Desserts
by matrixaffiliate
Summary: A collection of one-shots from my Cake AU story. All the fun things I thought of that I couldn't get into the Cake story timeline. Muggle AU Harry/Ginny fluff story. Rated T. Everything belongs to JKR.
1. Aggregate

**Desserts**

 **A/N: I had a lot of readers who were sad that Cake ended, and I felt for them. I was sad it ended too! But I really didn't want to jump the shark and as I was trying to map out more of the story it started to feel like I would. But Fern Farrow had a wonderful idea for one-shots of this AU, and I love it! I had so many ideas that just didn't fit into the original story and so I give you Desserts! This will be all of those ideas I couldn't get into Cake before it ended. They're in no particular order but they all revolve around the Cake storyline, and as always I'm up for any suggestions for things you'd like to see. I hope you enjoy, and that these one-shots provide a bit of sweetness in your days when I update.**

 **Aggregate**

Harry decides it's in the little things, the way she tilts her head to one side when she's trying to decide how to nicely tell someone they're being an idiot, how her eyes soften when she's holding a baby, how her tone of voice becomes all the more musical when she's playing with the grandchildren, how her hand searches out his anytime they walk side by side.

He's watching her as they help to load grandchildren into car seats and plastic containers full of food into children's hands. Her red hair has streaks of silver and white running through it now; her eyes have laugh lines surrounding them. The dark circles under her eyes that their children gave her have receded a small amount, but he knows they still keep her up at night, just for different reasons now. Her smile is just as radiant, maybe more so now than when he first realized he loved her. And damn it, he **still** blushes when she catches him staring at her. But she winks at him and continues on with getting everyone off as if it didn't faze her.

Harry chuckles as the cars drive off and they stand on the front porch waving. He casually wraps an arm around her waist and she instinctively leans into him. As the last car turns out of sight she sighs.

"When did we get old enough to have grandchildren?" Her hand wraps around him and she links her fingers through his belt loop.

Harry chuckles, "Technically the day we started marrying off our children."

Ginny groans and presses her head into Harry's shoulder, "When did we get old enough to have children."

Harry laughs, "You really don't want me to answer that question love."

Ginny chuckles as they walk back inside "See! We're too immature to have grown babies with babies!"

Harry gives her an affronted scoff, "I'll have you know I'm considered distinguished in my field."

She tilts her head at him and Harry bursts out laughing.

"But I am **your** idiot, dear." He laughs as he leans down to kiss her.

Ginny laughs with him as they snuggle on the couch, watching the twilight give way to nightfall.

"I still love you, you know," Harry whispers after a time, the side table lamp their only light.

Ginny turns and smiles up at him, "And I still love you." Then she kisses him, a gentle familiar kiss, the kind of kiss that feels like home. "We're not that old, are we?" She asks quietly, her tone almost wistful.

Harry smiles down at her, "We are only as old as we choose to act, Gin."

She grins mischievously at him, "And what if tonight we decided to act like we were 30 again?"

Harry's smirk is wide and he runs a hand along her side, "I can do 30 in some areas, but for others, you'll need to settle for 50."

Ginny's laugh crashes against him as she slants her lips over his. As Harry loses himself in her familiarity he's sure that it's the little things that have kept their love burning for this long, and will keep it burning forever.


	2. Redress

**Redress**

Ginny sits down on the swing, remembering at the last minute to do so with some semblance of calm. Throwing oneself at a mobile seat is a good way to end up sprawled on the ground, and Ginny would rather not end up screaming at the lawn in her back garden if possible, the neighbors might hear. Pushing off with a great deal of force has Ginny soaring into the air and the old swing set groans and squeaks as she kicks her legs out and in. This swing set was part of what sold her on the house; she wanted her future children to be able to swing whenever they wanted to. Now she wonders if it was really subconsciously for herself.

The wind blows into her hair, and while the sensation doesn't alleviate her anger, it does remind her for a brief second that there are good things in her life. Ginny breathes in the warm summer evening air and sighs. She hates these little tiffs they get in. It's usually over something trivial and ridiculous and it's usually because they were both acting childish. To be honest she's so upset that she can't remember exactly what set it off because they both pulled out unrelated points and the disagreement turned into an all-out fight. You'd think after being married for five years they'd have figured out how to communicate, but apparently, that's a skill for those who've been married for 50 years. Ginny huffs bitterly. _Why do books and movies set everyone up to be disappointed in real life?_

That's when the back door opens and she sees him standing there. If she weren't so upset she'd have to admit there's a reason she was attracted to him all those years ago. He leans against the door jam, a hand in his perpetually messy black hair, his black-rimmed glasses outlining his green eyes, his t-shirt, jeans, and trainers worn and starting to look a touch threadbare, the man wouldn't be distinguishable in a crowd, but Ginny can spot him from a mile away. She hates fighting with him, after a fight she's always reminded of how much she loves him, and she hates hurting someone she loves that much.

Harry watches her swing for a bit before he saunters over and sits in the swing next to her, pushing off and adding to the squeaks and groans of the swing set. For a while that's all it is, just the two of them swinging; anyone looking in from the outside would have thought the couple was enjoying the summer evening in their garden. But Ginny can almost physically feel the strain between them and it's killing her.

"Did you want to talk?" She asks in a neutral tone.

Harry's quite for a moment before he puts out his feet and skids to a stop. "I wanted to apologize."

Ginny skids to a stop and turns to look at him.

"I said some awful things and I honestly can't remember what we were fighting about in the first place. I'm sorry, Gin."

"I'm sorry too," Ginny sighs, "I can't remember what we were originally upset about either." She looks off towards their home and chuckles bitterly. "Why do we do this to ourselves?"

Harry's silent for a long time before he speaks, "I have a theory."

Ginny turns. Harry's looking at the ground as he continues. "I hate upsetting you. I feel like I'm somehow less of a husband when I bring up something that's bothering me; I feel like I'm not good enough for you. So I don't mention anything, I just tell myself to let it be, and then those little things build up until something breaks and I explode at you. Then I hate myself more and it just keeps repeating this vicious cycle of self-loathing because I can't seem to be a proper husband."

Ginny's mildly dumbfounded and it shows in her voice, "I feel that way with you... That one day you'll wake up and realize that you have the money and position to have any girl you want and that I'm not worth the hassle. And I don't know what I'll do if that day ever comes because I can't imagine my life without you. I don't dare mention when I'm unhappy because I worry about what nit-picking thing is going to be the one that pushes you away." She stops as her voice breaks and she tries to push the tears back down.

But then his arms are around her and he's holding her and she finally feels a small amount of hope as she clings to him.

"I will never leave you, Gin." He murmurs into her ear. "I don't want any other woman, I want you. I'm not going to run away just because things aren't easy."

"And I don't think you're a horrible husband, either" Ginny chuckles. "I think we both need to work on communicating when we're struggling with something." She pauses for a moment, "And maybe figuring out when what we're struggling with has nothing to do with each other."

Harry gives her a confused stare, "Does that play into this situation? Or is that comment meant as a general statement?"

Ginny sighs, "Mum was bugging me about grandchildren again last week, and, well, I don't know what I want, and it's hard to have her pestering about it because then I feel like that's tainting my decision and it's not really my decision."

Harry nods and pulls them down to the lawn, framing Ginny between his legs. "Well, things are in a position where children would fit well, which is probably why your mum is pestering, but you're giving up the most in that decision, regardless of when it happens you spend 9 months growing a human; and you know I'll help after that, but I've noticed babies tend to like their mums more than their dads for a good while after they're born."

Ginny chuckles in spite of herself.

"Look Gin, when you decide you're ready for kids it will be no one's decision but yours. I won't lie to you, the thought of being a parent scares the hell out of me, but when you feel you're ready I'm with you one hundred percent." Harry kisses her cheek softly and Ginny smiles as she rests her head on his chest.

"I love you," she nuzzles under his chin.

"And I love you," he holds her tight and kisses the top of her head.

They stay in that protected silence, content to just hold each other. And Ginny smiles, she definitely hates fighting with Harry, but at least she can always count on them making up and working to fix things. _Maybe that's why couples who've been happily married for five or more decades seem like they're perfect,_ she thinks to herself, _they've had decades of making up._


	3. Connotation

**Connotation**

Ginny remembers the first time he said those three words and how her chest exploded. How every time they said them, they meant exactly that.

But years into their relationship, their marriage, those three words mean more than just an expression of love. She looks across the kitchen table as Harry works on something and smiles thinking back on how much meaning those three words really have.

 _"I love you!" She had said in exasperation when he'd let Jamie eat on his own and all the baby food had ended up_ _ **everywhere**_ _and on_ _ **everything**_ _within a twenty-foot radius of the high chair. Harry had run a hand through his hair and chuckled at the mush his hand found there. "I love you too!"_

 _"I love you." Ginny had said quietly as she approached his home office - where she'd slammed the door earlier. The door was now open and Harry stood, staring out the window, looking out onto the street. He turned and sighed, giving her an understanding nod, "I love you too."_

 _"I love you!" Harry wrapped her in a hug and spun her around when they found out she was expecting Al. "I love you too!" And she'd kissed him while Jamie tried to climb up Harry's leg._

 _"I love you," The annoyance was thick in her voice and Ginny could see the exasperation in his eyes. He'd worked through dinner in his home office again, and she had the kids in bed ready for Harry to go kiss them goodnight and he was still working. He hung his head and stood to walk up the stairs, he paused and gently took her hand, his voice quiet and contrite, "I love you too."_

 _"I love you," Harry held her as she cried. She couldn't even handle two kids, how in the hell would she be able to take care of three? "I love you too." Ginny clung to him._

 _"I love you," Ginny whispered as Harry ran his hands over her, enjoying a stolen moment from the three children in the living room. "I love you too," he smirked against her skin when she shivered against him. Then their offspring started screaming at each other and came running into their room._

"Gin! Earth to Gin!" Harry waves his hand in front of her face.

"Sorry?" She shakes herself and smiles at him.

"I'll thank you to remember that I'm the one who zones out in this relationship." Harry's laughter is evident in the way his eyes dance behind his glasses and the smirk on his face.

Ginny laughs and reaches across the table to grab Harry's hand. "I love you, you know?"

Harry squeezes her hand and smiles, "I do, though I still don't understand how. But I love you for it."

Ginny smiles and admires the way a few gray hairs have started to come into his black locks, his face showing the nearly forty years he's been around. "I don't understand it either, but I'm betting I'll love you forever."

Harry laughs loudly, "We're being sappy now, are we? Alright then, I'm going to love you to my grave and then I'll come back as a ghost and love you worse than that awful 90s film."

"No!" Ginny takes her hand back and covers her face dramatically.

"Come on!" Harry teases, "You can't tell me that doesn't sound like an experience?!"

"Like the worst experience of my life! If you do that I'll find you in the afterlife and I'll kill you!" Ginny's trying to be angry but it's hard with how much she's laughing.

"Don't pretend you aren't at least curious," Harry smirks at her as he stands and walks to her side of the kitchen table.

"Not even a little," Ginny crosses her arms and tries to look serious.

Harry's smirk seems to suggest that she's failing. "Then I suppose I'll have to show you it would be worth your while." He leans close to her and Ginny momentarily thinks about throwing the facade and closing the distance to his lips.

"Mummy!" Lily comes running into the kitchen crying and Harry groans, dropping his head.

"I love you," Ginny kisses Harry's cheek as she stands to scoop the toddler into her arms.

Harry grins back at her as she dries Lily's tears, "I love you too."


End file.
